Astonishing story carried by the Daily Times, Lahore edition:
Punjab Assembly Speaker Muhammad Afzal Sahi has been given an extraordinary authorisation to buy a sophisticated assault rifle from the Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) in Wah that has hitherto been in the exclusive use of Pakistani soldiers.
The G3 assault rifle, with its long range and high accuracy, is rapidly gaining popularity among politicians and appears to be on its way to becoming a status symbol among Pakistani politicians like the Russian-made Kalashnikov was at one time.
What the hell?! Are we living in a modern fiefdom of some sort? What happened to those Special Punjab Police Force groups? Or must we provide for personal bodyguards and their weapons through the tax-payer's money? Incidentally, how on earth can the Pakistan Ordinance Factories make this sale? For personal use, too? And why would the PM sanction it in the first place?
As if this wasn't enough, it does not seem to be the first such sale. Ironically, a member of the Public Accounts Committee has acquired a rifle for his brother previously.
So much for public service by these government officials.
[the link: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=200644\story_4-4-2006_pg13_5]
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power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Comment by sukhi 5 April, 2006 @ 2:55 pmI reside in a country where everyone has the right to bear arms, ( long live RAA!).but not bought by federal funds!
Comment by IMeMy 6 April, 2006 @ 3:10 amIt’s Pakistan, you know. Connections are all that matter.
Comment by Syed Sibgatullah 23 April, 2006 @ 8:13 pmthese pakistanis dont have anything to eat, there country if full of curruption ,it is the breeding ground for terrorists, there is nothing to astonish about the above stated news, since there is an active gun culture in pakistan, easily u could get an kalashnikov.
Comment by kishor chavan 5 August, 2006 @ 11:13 amso dear pakistanis dont get ur selves invloved into the gun culture, instead of spending huge amoutnts on the means of death,spend some thing worth on ur poor people, devolep ur nation, buck up yar…..
Oh, where would we be if it weren’t for these concerned indians!
Comment by Ayesha 5 August, 2006 @ 3:18 pmas the news puts it clearly, the authorization is to BUY to rifle and not to get it as a GIFT, so dun worry the taxpayers money isnt being embezzled here, though we all know wat percentage of our revenue is tax huh. and secondly the member of the public accounts committe is the brother of the speaker buying the gun so its not two but the same incident oh you intellectuals.
Comment by Zafar Sahi 14 August, 2006 @ 9:20 pmZafar, you miss the salient point. What exactly is the need of even *BUYING* a top-notch-reserved-only-for-soldiers gun for the Punjab Assembly speaker?
Just like what is the need of buying a pradao at the tax-payers cost to transport around people’s servants when it could be easily accomplished by a Mehran?
Lavish expenditure at the cost of the tax-payers money is what I object to.
Comment by ayesha 15 August, 2006 @ 8:16 pm@ Ayesha
Although our Indian friend phrased his comment in the most disgustingly offensive way possible, we as Pakistanis ought to take some of his advice seriously.
Comment by kronstadter 26 January, 2007 @ 6:16 pmi know this is a late reply, but i agree with zafar here…firstly, by personal use, it doesnt mean that the speaker will be carrying the gun around his shoulder wherever he goes…if you are a pakistani you probably know how much security a top official who is trying to make a difference might need…if you are going to talk about not needing that, then hell, why should the president be any different? the first thing brought up was ‘by the taxpayers’ money, and when it was duly explained by zafar (who for some reason i will call zoni from now on) that it was bought by him of his own money, you’ve changed to prado’s and mehrans…it might interest you to know that the speaker afzal sahi, a few years back donated all his income to the fund that was created under nawaz sharif (its the intention that counts, who knows where the money went). and if im not mistaken, he isnt taking any income right now either…oh and plus all he has is one old honda accord from the government…thats it! so yea, before you start generalising everything, do your research…
Comment by Usman Sahi 5 March, 2007 @ 5:45 ami’m losing my mind, and i don’t think it’s cleve. Gautam Asaf.
Comment by Gautam Asaf 21 October, 2007 @ 3:09 pmSecurity is needed by those that are insecure.
Most of our leaders are despicable enough to have committed some sort of bad ju ju somewhere in their careers hence the need for G 3’s and all that. Problem is.. these days vengeance comes with a boom, so they wont do a fat lot of good.
Comment by faisalk 6 December, 2007 @ 4:58 pmvery interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Comment by Idetrorce 15 December, 2007 @ 7:32 pmIdetrorce
I heard that bhugti was also allowed
Comment by Aatif 24 February, 2008 @ 2:30 pmto visit POF and get what he choose
(any gun), for free.